Gaharayankosa

Author(s): Jineshwarsuri, Amrutlal Bhojak, Nagin J Shah, Dalsukh Malvania
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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The gist of the gatha is: When Hāla who has by his poetry made even the farmers recite his gathās, is no more, our composing poems? When the intoxicating effect more, what is the use of meat?
what is the use of of the wine is no
There is a pun on the word 'kavva' in the gatha. When construed with Hala, it means 'kavya'. When construed with Halavikāra, it means 'kravya'.
The scholars generally assign Gathāsaptasati to the first century A. D. This work presupposes the extensive Prakrit literature and its form of gatha literature. After Hala's Gāthāsaptasati, 'Jayavallabha' has collected Subhāṣitas in his anthology entitled 'Vajjalagga'. Scholars place the Vajjālagga between 750 A. D. and 1337 A. D.
Like Sanskrit, Prakrit also had its own individuality and importance. It had its strong points. So, many writers of eminence composed their works in Prakrit. One of them is the well known king Bhojadeva of Dhārā. In Dharanagari (Modern Dhara) there was a pathasala of Bhojadeva. Now it is in the form of a mosque. The stone plates cemented on the walls of this mosque contain many literary works inscribed on them. These plates are so cemented that only the plain sides remain exposed to our sight. But recently it is discovered that the other sides have preserved, in fragments, literary works of king Bhoja deva. Moreover, we know one ms. of the gathāsangraha which begins with the remark: 'atha bhojakṛtagatha likhyate' ('Now I write gathas composed by Bhoja'). This ms. belongs to the Punyavijayaji's Collection preserved in the L. D. Institute of Indology, Ahmedabad. It bears the Serial No. 5586. Again, though Bhojadeva has written his Śṛngaramañjari in Sanskrit he has completed the work with the four Prakrit gāthās.1 It is really surprising to note that the Śrngaraprakāśa quotes more than 1800 Prakrit verses as illustrations. This shows his love for Prakrit. For the importance and the general theme of
1. सिंगारमंजरिं पाविऊण देवी सरस्सई अज्ज ।
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मयरंदपाणभ... सिगारमंजरि पाविऊण देवीए उयह वाणीए । सोहग्ग- जसपडाया... IT
... ऊणं जस कहवि हु सिंगारमंजरिं उअह । णिसोह [ग] वडाया ...
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- [ सिंगारमंजरि पावि]ऊण वाणीए मणहराये वि । कण्णावयं ससोहाभो...
... II